"On the Trail"

The Journals from the Road

Monday, Nov. 27, 2000: Maps, Hare Krishnas, and Neon Drinks! -- Home of Nelly and Alberto, Lima, Peru

Hello folks, Tad here!

I woke up feeling very well rested even after a 3:00 am search for the Jungle Juice Plus. I found it, applied it, and fell back asleep. This morning I had planned to meet Janet because we were going to go to the national library. This would be good for both of us. I have been wanting to reroute a bit and I have needed some high quality maps and she had some homework to do for her philosophy class. Alberto Jr. came along and the three of us hopped a bus to the center. We walked through the Plaza Mayor and wandered into the main Cathedral in Lima, magnificent is the word. We supposedly even saw Pizarro`s tomb, the conquistador of Peru, which was inside the church. A morning mass was going on and it was quite serene, walking and gazing, as the boys´ choir sang. Next we found the library. We found out that I needed a pass and Alberto decided to head back. I bought a day pass and Janet helped me find the map room. I have never been into maps so much as this morning. I guess it was all the anticipation and the fact that these maps have real meaning to me in that the little lines on these maps will soon be days on the road. I am trying to work out a one-year, round-the-world ticket and so needed to do some arranging and solidifying of the plans. I also would like to meet my younger sister in India as she may ride with me for a month! I used a strip of paper to measure distances between cities and along roads through China, Tibet, and Nepal and then did some Middle East route work. This next 12 months is going to be very exciting as PeaceBike will travel through South America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, Tibet, Nepal, India, and then on to Iran and Iraq. WOW! I feel like so much adventure has already been experienced but so much more still awaits!!

At about 1:00 I had rerouted satisfactorily and was ready to find a route to lunch. Janet and I found a GREAT Hare Krishna Vegetarian restaurant in downtown Lima. Carrot soup, fried cauliflower, rice, beet salad, beans, and custard was the fare! Janet and I talked a lot about life, beliefs, PeaceBike, and her schooling. She is currently going to two univesities, although one is currently on strike, asking for reparations to be made by the new government. The recently resigned Fugimori government was, according to Janet, responsible for displacing some of the student organizations, and not allowing student voice in many of the administrative decisions. She believes in the protests and also finds it nice not to have to go to that university because the other university is giving her a lot of homework.

We made it back to the Rimac District and I headed back to Nelly and Alberto´s werr I did my wash as one of the aunts was doing wash for the family. Then I tried to find out if there was a hole in my thermarest. I have recently been feeling less and less comfy as the night passes. I wake up with a much deflated mattress. But after sticking the mattress in a plastic tub to try and find a hole neither Jorge (family member) or I could find a hole. He was very interested in my trip and PeaceBike and we also talked about his family. There are about 4 or 5 families all living together in basically the same house. It is on different levels with a staircase in the middle and different families at each level. I asked him if this proximity ever gets to the level of family feuds. He told me that at times you have to be more tolerant and flexible. For example, if one person has just done all their wash and the clothes are hanging out to dry there is not enough room for another family`s clothes or when one family has a party and the other family wants to rest it can be a bit difficult. But he also said that it has benefits. They help each other. There is always someone to lend a hand or take care of the kids, etc. I compared it with many families in the US living in different homes, in different states, with some children in different countries (imagine that!!).

Tonight, after some journal and internet work, I went for a dinner snack. I have a favorite fruit and treat cafe here. I saw some potato like things and asked what they were. They were Papa Rellenos (filled potatoes) which sounded good but probably meaty. I picked out a small one that was not supposed to have meat in it. It was very good but this filled potato wasn`t filled with anything, a bit of a dud spud one might say, so they giggled and gave it to me for free! I was feeling like something else so I inquired about all of the multi-colored creamy drinks. I got one that was cinnamon rice with raisen pudding on top (brown), rasberry gooey (masamora) in the middle (dark purple), and regular rice pudding on the bottom (white). There were also pink, yellow, and dark brown concoctions.

There are lots of little boys out here selling candy. I met one little fellow but he wasn`t selling anything. He said that he wanted money for a bus ride home. I hoped he was telling the truth but kind of slid the conversation to writing letters and he got very excited about writing a letter and DRAWING! He told me he was a great artist so we are going to meet tomorrow night, same place, and he is going to come with pen pal letter ready! We both left full of enthusiasm!!

Lima, the big city, is growing on me, not bigger, but closer, and smaller!

On the top floor, on a concrete bed, on a thermarest that hopefully will hold air,

TAD

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